The invention relates generally to dynamic side impact protection apparatuses or systems for automobiles or other vehicles, and more specifically to such systems employing a structural cross beam extending laterally across and through the interior passenger compartment of the vehicle to interconnect the vehicle sides.
For many years, automobile manufacturers have gone to great lengths to improve the safety and crash worthiness of their vehicles. Such efforts have taken many forms in the final vehicle product, including those directed toward improving and maintaining the integrity of the passenger compartment in response to a side impacts. Although such efforts and emphasis have gone far toward continually improving the safety of vehicles, such efforts continue in the present and are expected to continue and grow well into the future.
As a result of this safety emphasis on the part of automobile manufacturers, governments, and the public at large, new crash or collision standards have required the provision of a dynamic side impact apparatus or system that laterally interconnects the sides of the vehicle in order to better maintain the integrity of the passenger compartment in response to side impact collisions. According to the present invention, this objective is addressed by way of a cross-car dynamic side impact beam mounted within the passenger compartment and extending laterally between a pair of upwardly directed B-pillars on opposite sides of the passenger compartment. The cross-car beam can be structurally and functionally interconnected with each of the B-pillars either directly or by way of intermediate components or structures, thus adding greatly to the lateral strength of the passenger compartment.
In addition, the present invention provides improved passenger comfort, as well as safety. The cross-car beam provides the sole support for the rearward bottom portion of the front seat assembly or assemblies, thus eliminating the need for one or more stanchions or similar structures for supporting the rear of the seat assemblies. This, coupled with the cross-car beam according to the present invention being spaced vertically above the floor of the passenger compartment and having at least a portion of its lower surface sloping or curving rearwardly and upwardly, provides greatly enhanced foot space and comfort for rear seat passengers, in most cases greater than that provided by vehicles not so equipped with a dynamic side impact cross-car beam.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the ends of the cross-car beam are disposed adjacent to, and are structurally and functionally interconnected with, inner portions of the B-pillar assemblies. In another, alternate embodiment of the present invention, the cross-car beam protrudes into at least a portion of each B-pillar assembly, extending through an inner portion or member of such B-pillar assemblies. In this alternate construction, the opposite outer ends of the cross-car beam can also be used to temporarily locate and support the body side aperture assembly (or other vehicle side structure that includes the B-pillar assembly) prior to its being welded or otherwise fixed in its final location on the assembly line. This feature greatly simplifies this step of the assembly operation and reduces both the time and cost required to accomplish it.
In either of the above-mentioned embodiments or constructions according to the present invention, the cross-car beam is also adapted to support a hand or parking brake assembly. Similarly, in vehicles having central interior floor consoles, the cross-car beam is further interconnected with a rearward console bracket, or can alternatively support a rearward portion of the console itself. Thus, conventional structures for supporting these vehicle components are eliminated, along with their associated costs and weight.
The cross-car beam assembly according to the present invention preferably also includes opposite end brackets for interconnecting the cross-car beam to the B-pillar assembly, by way of the end brackets being fixedly attached to the B-pillar and/or the lower side sill members of the passenger compartment. These preferred end brackets are adapted to be temporarily slidably movable laterally along the length of the cross-car beam, as well as being positionable relative to the vehicle's side structures, both upwardly and downwardly and forwardly and rearwardly along with the beam, prior to their being fixed to the cross-car beam and the B-pillars and/or side sill members after the cross-car beam is disposed in its final location. In this regard, the final location of the cross-car beam is determined by the location of, and its connection to, the rearward lower portion of the front seat assembly or assemblies prior to the welding or other fixing of the end brackets. Therefore, because of this "floating" pre-assembly feature of the cross-car beam end brackets, the mounting tracks or other lower mounting structures of the front seat assembly or assemblies are maintained in their proper positions and orientations, thus preventing or at least minimizing any non-parallelism or any binding in the adjustable forward and rearward movement of the seat assembly.
Additional objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.